As a podcast enthusiast, I’ve found myself listening to a wide variety of podcast genres, and have always found the true crime genre to be especially entertaining and educational when autumn rolls around. From ghosts and ghouls to crime and confessions, here are some of my favorite true crime-related podcasts to check out when you’re in the mood for some mystery!
- Murder with my Husband
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She loves it, and he hates it. Murder With My Husband is a podcast co-hosted by husband and wife duo Garrett and Payton Moreland and gives true crime podcasting a unique spin by offering viewers both the facts and the fun of investigating true crime. This podcast is especially interesting to listen to because of the dynamic between the hosts. True-crime junkie Payton educates and guides her less-than-eager husband Garrett through the most notable crimes committed in history, letting him make conclusions of his own, prior to revealing the case’s closing. This podcast tends to hone in on older cases and the investigative part of them, often focusing on where law enforcement may have gone wrong, as well as using government sources and evidence from the original case to better understand why law enforcement made the conclusions they did. Although some cases can get sad at times, this couple’s lighthearted and goofy dynamic helps cancel out some of the darker parts of true crime while paying respect to those who are missing and lost, bringing awareness to the stories of the victims and who they were. If you like to keep things light and learn more about how investigative services have evolved over time through real-life examples, give this podcast a listen.
- the apology line
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The Apology Line is a podcast hosted by Marissa Bridge, widow of artist Allan Bridge, A.K.A. “Mr. Apology.” The podcast begins by telling the story of the social experiment that Allan conducted from the 1980s-90s, “The Apology Line.” Allan decided to advertise an anonymous phone line to the people of New York City via posters and fliers around the city, telling people to call the line and reach an answering machine that recorded them as they confessed the bad things they’d done, how they felt about it, and the apologies for their wrongdoings. This took a turn for the worse when the confessions became increasingly morbid and criminal, with people (who look objectively innocent talking on a pay phone in the city) secretly exemplifying the dark underbelly of humanity. Marissa gives this podcast an interesting spin by recounting her relationship with Allan, describing how she found the eerie tapes and the toll that the tapes took on both Allan and herself. If you want to switch things up and listen to a podcast that runs deeper than true crime and investigation and features some of the most interesting and intimate secrets of humanity, this is 100% worth a listen.
- morbid
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Morbid, hosted by autopsy technician Alaina Urquhart and hairstylist Ash Kelley, is a little different from your traditional true-crime podcast. Urquhart and Kelley delve into the strange and spooky stories, crimes, and people throughout history. Their dynamic is both educational and carries well-placed comedic narration to keep the heavier topics lighthearted and interesting. They also make it a habit to cite their sources, which is nice for those who occasionally take extra interest (I’m looking at you, my fellow JonBenét Ramsey defenders/true-crime-invested ladies) to do their own research on the stories and/or crimes that pique their interest. I find myself turning to this podcast every October because it is not explicitly limited to true crime, and often releases unique episodes that talk about the prevalence of mythic beings (vampires and witches) at specific points in time and creepy encounters throughout history, debunking them, and occasionally leaving it a mystery. This podcast definitely keeps things entertaining with its ability to switch up the content of its episodes without losing the unique narrative tone that they’ve become popular for. If you’re into all things spooky and historic with a bit of true crime sprinkled in, give this podcast a try!
- Crime Junkie
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Crime Junkie is an analytical true crime podcast that is co-hosted by podcaster Ashley and former P.I. employee, Brit. This podcast carries a dynamic that is similar to that of Morbid in both narration and analysis of the crimes, and I often find them to be pretty interchangeable with one another. One thing that makes this podcast especially unique is that it covers the subgenres of true crime and takes advantage of its vast audience by covering even the most recent murders and disappearances as a means of raising awareness and calling for further investigation and tips from witnesses to help solve open cases. Their podcast episodes are organized into the “MISSING,” “MYSTERIOUS,” “MURDERED,” “WANTED,” “PRECEDENT,” “CONSPIRACY,” and “INFAMOUS” categories. I find it especially helpful to know what you’re getting into prior to listening to the episode, especially if you would rather stay away from certain types of crime coverage, so this self-categorization on their part is definitely a plus.
- deathbed confessions
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Deathbed Confessions is a Spotify Original podcast narrated by Estefania Hageman and is fairly objective, so it doesn’t carry the same lively and conversational dynamic that most podcasts possess. The episodes start by recounting the crime in a storytelling manner, with witness statements, and has some investigative questions sprinkled in as well. The episode then hones in on a specific person and their role at the time of the crime, statements to police, and finally, their deathbed confessions, specifically focusing on how these individuals have tainted investigations, falsely accused others, committed atrocities, and kept these secrets all the way up to their final moments. This podcast is especially interesting for its unique and objective take on true crime, as well as for showcasing the crimes that weren’t solved until almost a lifetime after being committed. If you’re a true crime buff who wants to switch it up a bit by honing in on a niche genre of true crime, this podcast is definitely for you.
Final Thoughts
Although not all of these are the hard-hitting, crime-based podcasts in the way that I expected them to be upon first listen, I found myself loving these so much more for the fact that they are unique and feature their own lighthearted niches and topics beyond the morbid, and often sad, constraints of true crime. These podcasts are a great way to dip your toe into the true crime world without overwhelming yourself, and give you plenty of wiggle room in deciding which episodes you do and don’t want to listen to by giving detailed titles and descriptions that do not require you to go in chronological order. If you think you might want to give these podcasts a try while enjoying the fall vibes, this spooky season is a better time than ever!